Mashed Potatoes

Do you love your mashed potatoes to be creamy? I don’t just mean creamy. I mean melt-in-your-mouth creamy? Here’s the secret: cream cheese! It says so, right on the inside of the Philadelphia cream cheese box. And since I’m such a trusting person, I believed them. Good thing I did. I love these mashed potatoes!

1-5 lb. bag medium russet potatoes

1 to 2 cubes butter or margarine

1-8 oz. package cream cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Fill large saucepan 2/3 full with water. Peel and cube potatoes. Add to saucepan. Cook on high until water comes to a complete boil. Turn heat to medium and cook 20-25 minutes, until potatoes are fork tender. Drain potatoes. Return drained potatoes to empty warm saucepan. Add butter or margarine and cream cheese. Mash with hand masher* until creamy and smooth. Salt and pepper to taste.

If making potatoes ahead of time, spoon into buttered 9 x 13 pan and refrigerate. When ready to serve, bake at 350 for 1 hour.

*Tip: A hand masher will ensure your mashed potatoes don’t get “gummy” like they will if you use an electric mixer.